Strike plate or door latch keeper



Dec. 10, 1946. R. P. EDWARDS 2,412,497

STRIKE PLATE OR DOOR LATCH KEEPER Filed Dec. 13, 1944 INVENTOR.

Rich/men P. EDIYHRDS,

Patented Dec. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates specifically to a strike plate or door latchkeeper; and it has general reference to a novel and more accurately andeasily adjustable device, of strong and lasting nature, for engaging andholding the sliding door latch to prevent the door from oscillating andthereby prevent the latch from rattling when the door is closed.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved strike plate ordoor latch keeper having a body portion of about the same length as theordinary strike plate or door latch keeper, in substitution for which itis to be used, and having a rigid lateral extension arranged to seatagainst the exposed surface of the door jamb in front of and inhorizontal alinement with the usual latch keeper recess in said doorjamb; in cooperative combination with a bracket extending across thatportion of said strike plate or door latch keeper at and beyond theouter side wall of said recess, and having laterally extended portionsin said recess and beyond the outer surface of said extension of saidlatch plate, respectively, and an actuating screw having screwthreadedconnection in said rigid lateral extension of said strike plate or latchkeeper and also havin swivel connection with said laterally extendedportions on said bracket, whereby rotation of said screw will move saidbracket in a straight line to different adjusted positions for accuratecooperation with the latch extending through said plate and into saidkeeper recess.

Another object of the invention is to provide a strike plate or doorlatch keeper having an opening for receiving the door latch, incombination with a bracket extendin through said opening, meansinterlocking said bracket with the inner side of said latch plate aboveand below said opening, and means for moving said bracket to and rigidlyholding the same in different selected adjustments for engaging the doorlatch to prevent vibration and rattling of the door when closed.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, reference being made to the annexed drawing, in Which- Fig.l is a plan view showin the concealed side of my improved strike plateor door latch keeper having the adjustable bracket mounted thereon andinterlocked therewith for horizontal adjustment.

Fig. 2 is an outer side edge elevation of my improved strike plat ordoor latch keeper.

Fig. 3 is an outer side elevation of said strike plate or door latchkeeper and the horizontally adjustable bracket mounted thereon.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the strike plate or door latchkeeper on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, a portion of the door jamb, door anddoor latch being indicated by broken lines.

My improved strike plate or door latch keeper comprises a body portion lof about the same length and width as the ordinary strike plate or doorlatch keeper in substitution for which it is used. Said body portion ihas a rigid lateral extension 2 arranged to seat against the bottom of acomplementary recess in the exposed surface of the door jamb 3 in frontof and in horizontal alinement with the usual latch keeper recess i insaid door jamb. According to practice, the body portion of the usualstrike plate or door latch keeper is attached to the door jamb 3 in arecess having a depth equal to the thickness of said body portion. Thebody portion I of my improved strike plate is arranged to fit and seatin the same recess. Thus, when the strike plate or door latch keeper isattached to the door jamb, the outer or exposed surface of said bodyportion l is even or flush with the surface of the door jamb.

According to my invention and as stated, the rigid lateral extension 2is preferably seated in a complementary recess in the outer side edge ofthe door jamb, so that its outer surface is even or flush with thesurface of said outer side edge. The extension 2 is formed with ascrewthreaded hole about midway of its vertical length and spacedslightly from the adjacent body portion of the strike plate or doorlatch keeper. A notch or groove 5 is formed in the door jamb 3 oppositeor in horizontal alinement with said screwthreaded hole, and opens intothe latch keeper recess 4 in said door jamb. The body portion I has anopenin 6 through which the usual latch bolt 1 extends into th latchkeeper recess 4 when the door 8 is closed.

The part 9 of the strike plate or door latch keeper with which theextension 2 is formed integral and which is beyond the outer side wallof the latch keeper recess 4, is bent laterally beyond the plane of thebody portion I to provide a horizontal groove or space 10, preferably ofabout the same depth as the thickness of said body portion l. A bracketis adjustably seated in said groove or space Ill against the outersurface of the bent portion 9, and has its outer surface even or flushwith the outer surface of the body portion I. Said bracket comprises asliding 3 part I I seated in said groove or space I as aforesaid, alaterally extended portion I2 in the latch keeper recess 4 of the doorjamb, and a complementary laterally extended portion I3 outwardly beyondthe extension 2 of the body portion I. A screw I4 extends through anunscrewthreaded hole in the extension I3, is screwed through theaforesaid screwthreaded hole in the extension 2, and is formed with ahead I5 having a swivel connection with the extension I2 of the bracket.The head I6 of said screw is rotative against the bracket extension I3.It is evident that rotation of the screw I4 in one direction will movethe bracket inwardly across the part 9 of the strike plate, and willhold said bracket in the adjustment and position to which it is moved;and that rotation of said screw in the opposite direction will move saidbracket outwardly across said part 9 of the strike plate, and will holdthe same in the position and adjustment to which it is moved by saidrotation of said screw. The screw I4 extends through the notch or groove5. The head I5 may be formed on the screw after said screw has beenmounted in the screwthreaded hole in the extension 2, so that the partswill be held in close operative assembly. The extension I2 has ends I?projecting upwardly and downwardly beyond the upper and lower ends ofthe opening 6 and engaging closely against the inner side of the bodyportion I. This positively prevents said bracket from being loosened byaction and operation of the latch bolt l against the outer portion ofsaid bracket during closing or other movement of the door 8. Therefore,the adjustable bracket has interlocking engagement with the strike plateor door latch keeper, and is positively prevented from displacement byrepeated opening and closing of the door. The screw I i with its innerhead I 5 and outer head I6 closely engages the extensions I2 and I3 andthe extension 2, and is frictionally held from displacement andaccidental rotation.

From the foregoing, it is evident that my improved strike plate or doorlatch keeper attains all of its intended objectives and may bemanufactured and assembled at permissible cost, may be originallyattached to a door jamb, or may be substituted for the usual strikeplate or door latch keeper by attaching screws passing through holes I8in the body portion I in the same location as the holes for attachingscrews in the usual strike plate. To make substitution, it is onlynecessary to form the notch or recess 5 and a notch for the extension 2,and then attach my improved strike plate by screws extended through theholes I8 and into holes in the door jamb. The bracket III2-I3 may thenbe adjusted in proper position to cooperate with the latch bolt 1 of thedoor to hold the door securely closed and prevent rattling. Icontemplate such variations in the construction and arrangement as maybe within the scope of equivalent limits.

I claim:

A device of the character described, comprising a-plate for attachmentto a door jamb and having an opening for receiving a latch bolt andhaving a groove in horizontal alinement with said opening, a lateralextension integral with the outer edge of said plate and having ascrew-threaded hole therethrough, a bracket seated in said groove insaid plate and having one extension projecting through said opening andhaving a complementary extension outwardly beyond said lateral extensionon said plate, parts on said one extension engaging the inner side ofsaid plate above and below said opening, and a screw extending throughand having screw-threaded engagement in said hole and having swivelengagement with both of said two last named extensions on said bracketfor moving said bracket to and holding said bracket in difierentadjusted positions for cooperation with said latch bolt.

RICHARD P. EDWARDS.

